Narrative:

Descending through 8000 ft for landing at lck, in overcast and icing conditions. Had indication of #3 pneumatic manifold failure. Completed checklists for that condition, which resulted in loss of anti-ice for right wing and upper antenna. Ceiling and temperature at lck were 700 ft overcast and 1 degree C. I elected not to land there, and climbed back out of icing conditions. This aircraft is not equipped with ACARS or INS, so had to contact company dispatcher to search for an airport with better WX. There were no airports in the region that were clear. Company offered 3 airports with best WX, and I chose to return to memphis, because of the distance and the fact that I knew we could stay out of the clouds until 10000 ft. We would land, however, with less than the normal minimum fuel. I informed ATC that we needed preferential handling and a direct heading for memphis. They said they could not do that. So, I then declared an emergency for low fuel, because we could not take any delays. We then received a direct heading for memphis, and I also requested a turn onto the localizer at 30 mi out for a straight in approach to the nearest runway. Upon landing, we had only 1400 pounds of fuel above emergency fuel level. I was very glad I declared the emergency. We could not have taken any delays. It also would have been extremely helpful to have had ACARS, because it burned up valuable time and fuel waiting for the company to find us a better airport. We could have done it much faster ourselves.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10 FLC HAS LOSS OF WING ANTI-ICING CAPABILITIES RESULTING IN A DIVERT AND A LOW FUEL EMER.

Narrative: DSNDING THROUGH 8000 FT FOR LNDG AT LCK, IN OVCST AND ICING CONDITIONS. HAD INDICATION OF #3 PNEUMATIC MANIFOLD FAILURE. COMPLETED CHKLISTS FOR THAT CONDITION, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ANTI-ICE FOR R WING AND UPPER ANTENNA. CEILING AND TEMP AT LCK WERE 700 FT OVCST AND 1 DEG C. I ELECTED NOT TO LAND THERE, AND CLBED BACK OUT OF ICING CONDITIONS. THIS ACFT IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ACARS OR INS, SO HAD TO CONTACT COMPANY DISPATCHER TO SEARCH FOR AN ARPT WITH BETTER WX. THERE WERE NO ARPTS IN THE REGION THAT WERE CLR. COMPANY OFFERED 3 ARPTS WITH BEST WX, AND I CHOSE TO RETURN TO MEMPHIS, BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE AND THE FACT THAT I KNEW WE COULD STAY OUT OF THE CLOUDS UNTIL 10000 FT. WE WOULD LAND, HOWEVER, WITH LESS THAN THE NORMAL MINIMUM FUEL. I INFORMED ATC THAT WE NEEDED PREFERENTIAL HANDLING AND A DIRECT HDG FOR MEMPHIS. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DO THAT. SO, I THEN DECLARED AN EMER FOR LOW FUEL, BECAUSE WE COULD NOT TAKE ANY DELAYS. WE THEN RECEIVED A DIRECT HDG FOR MEMPHIS, AND I ALSO REQUESTED A TURN ONTO THE LOC AT 30 MI OUT FOR A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO THE NEAREST RWY. UPON LNDG, WE HAD ONLY 1400 LBS OF FUEL ABOVE EMER FUEL LEVEL. I WAS VERY GLAD I DECLARED THE EMER. WE COULD NOT HAVE TAKEN ANY DELAYS. IT ALSO WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL TO HAVE HAD ACARS, BECAUSE IT BURNED UP VALUABLE TIME AND FUEL WAITING FOR THE COMPANY TO FIND US A BETTER ARPT. WE COULD HAVE DONE IT MUCH FASTER OURSELVES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.